MEDIA RELEASE
28 September 2011

Legislation for a Police State

"When the NZ Herald calls government's new spying bill the act of a police state then we should all be very concerned" said MANA leader and Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira, "and when they want to sneak their Video Camera Surveillance (Temporary Measures) Bill through the house under urgency, then I think we should also be very, very scared."

Mr Harawira said that the charges against the Tuhoe 13 had been thrown out because the police had been involved in highly organised, well planned ... and illegal surveillance of NZ citizens, actions the Chief Justice said were "destructive of an effective and credible system of justice."

"And how does the government respond? By taking the police to task? By sacking the police commanders? No. By introducing a bill to legalise the illegal actions of the police"

Mr Harawira said that the bill had been roundly condemned by the legal fraternity, adding that a host of the country's best legal minds had condemned it, including noted barrister Dr Rodney Harrison QC who described the bill as being contrary to fundamental constitutional principles and a serious violation of individual human rights.

"And now it's being rammed through under urgency" said Mr Harawira, adding that the NZ public would get only one week to make submissions on a Bill which represented a major violation of New Zealander's civil rights.

"Nothing in the court ruling suggests the need for any rush" said Mr Harawira "and when you're talking about broadening police powers caution should be the standard, not the unseemly haste we are witnessing here"

Mr Harawira said the bill was a repugnant piece of legislation which demanded the full and detailed consideration of a full select committee.

"It is fundamentally incorrect for the police to be able to simply break the law and then have government legitimise their illegal actions. We don't and won't countenance that."

Mr Harawira said there had been a string of bills which had infringed the rights of NZ citizens, including the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Bill, the Gangs and Organised Crime Bill, the Terrorism Suppression Amendment Bill "and now this one"

"Government's strategy is to give the police extraordinary powers to deal with organised crime, but then they extend these powers to investigate Maori activist groups, environmentalists, and before you know it ..anybody else opposed to the government"

"Be scared folks. When we legitimate illegal activity, we lose our credibility as a just society" For further information contact:

ENDS

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